The San Antonio Spurs are expected to navigate a difficult situation once Dylan Harper usurps De'Aaron Fox, although the veteran could make things easy for the Silver and Black.
The San Antonio Spurs, to their credit, have said all of the right things. It's clear that Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle are the future of the franchise alongside Victor Wembanyama, but the front office remains committed to De'Aaron Fox.
While most fans would happily see Fox traded, the Spurs committed $222 million over four seasons to him, and his value is at an all-time low. If the Spurs were to trade him now, the return wouldn't be great, and they might face the ire of agent Rich Paul, one of the NBA's most powerful men.
Getting Harper as many reps and looks as possible is key to his development, and he looks ready to take over as the starter. Appeasing Fox, though, has to be a factor. There is a way out, though, and the Spurs might be able to force his hand.
De'Aaron Fox Could Just Demand a Trade
At this point, the Spurs are not a rebuilding team. Their title window is firmly open, and they have to do what puts them in a winning position.
Moving Fox to the bench is an option, although if he doesn't take the demotion well, he could make the choice for the Spurs.
"A crazy Harper leap could force Mitch to consider putting Fox on the bench, even if he never intended things to go that way," wrote FanSided's Jahlil Williams. "Maybe the nine-year professional would let those things roll off his back, but most athletes have large egos, so that's not a sure thing. None of this means a trade is inevitable, but it does mean that San Antonio could have a delicate roster decision on their hands."
If Fox were to demand a trade with four seasons left on his contract, he wouldn't have the leverage most players do. Frequently, players ask for a trade with only a season left on their deal, forcing their old team to let them go for something instead of nothing. Fox's free agency isn't looming, so he wouldn't have the power of a player on the final season of their contract.
Now, that doesn't solve the problem of his trade value. If Harper does indeed outplay him in the first few weeks of the season, it will be partly because Fox simply isn't a star-level player anymore. That means the Spurs' would-be return in a trade would be pretty low.
It's worth noting that if Fox's value skyrockets, then the Spurs are more incentivized to keep him on the roster. After all, a good player would fit in well with the roster, regardless of position.
For now, the Spurs' best option seems to be trading Fox, and if they can spare any feelings or avoid any bad blood in the process, that would be the best outcome.
